The 36th time
by StrayClock5
Summary: So this is kind of a prologue to Twilight were we are introduced to a few of the sidekicks of the story.


So this is kind of a prologue to Twilight were we are introduced to a few of the sidekicks of the story.

* * *

This was the 36th time. The fact that I still counted them made me uneasy. My shoulders felt a little bit heavier by every foot the mileage meter told me I was getting closer. Not that the meeting itself had a certain density to it but understandably it made me think of how fast this world, _my_ world, was spinning out of control, _my_ control.

I was already here, why did I insist on feeling this perplexity before every other meeting. I waited in the car until I heard more of the surroundings and less of the stilling engine. I went to fetch my gear in the back, as if it would help me put myself together, as if acting out the lies straight out would be better than to admit that they were only props in my act. Gear or not, nothing would really prepare me for what was coming.

"Carlisle" I nodded, a bit to hush.

He gave me the slightest of looks in response; it reminded me of how we living sometimes adjusted our faces according to a small sound just to be sure to catch it. Was I nothing but a mere noise to him?

"Where is Bill", I demanded to provoke a reply.

"Close", he said.

The water made more of a noise than we both did together. Why was he always this absent? Didn't this concern him at all? I suddenly remembered something I heard on the TV, something about humans being the only animals who knew they were going to die – and how it made us want to make an impression – did this mean that someone who lacked mortality was less caring, less eager to feel?

"Look, I called this meeting – I have something to say, I care about this – no matter what you might _think_." Carlisle yelled at me. – I obviously had a hard time adjusting to the mindreading. As well as to everything else for that matter.

"Here he comes", Carlisle said calmingly as the car pulled near.

I waited to see a glimpse of Billy and his warm eyes, anything really to balance out Carlisle rigidity. For a man his age, having to fight diabetes and for at one point in time having to keep a wolf within, Billy never made wheeling out in the wilderness from the back of his car look gracious. I tried my best to be respectful about it. Carlisle didn't have to _try_.

"So you've started without me" Billy said.

In a normal conversation I'd probably turn to Carlisle and share a look of amusement, but this was clearly not one of those conversations.

Carlisle opened bluntly; "Alice, one of my younger, who has been blessed with foresight, claims that something chaotic is closing near, something that is going set us and our truce in jeopardy, and that this something revolves around a person."

"She claims this, how sure is she?" Billy responded as is he was asking for the sports section of the Washington Times, I myself once again had problem adjusting.

"Alice is most perceptive; she wouldn't be lured or confused by the illusive character of what has not yet come to pass. This is going to happen as long as this person doesn't choose otherwise. And this far no changes have been made, chaos is heading. As we speak." Carlisle stated with authority.

"Well, who is it? How much time do we have?" Billy didn't seem to know himself what question he preferred answered first.

For once Carlisle seemed bothered. He curved his eyebrows and looked straight into Billy's eyes and then mine. He made a good strong impression, for being a dead person. Before he managed to pull a name or a time out of his mouth I felt I had to intervene and put some sanity in to this discussion.

"Ok, once again you guys have to explain this to me, aren't we the only ones who know about our agreement?" I contributed.

This statement clearly helped Carlisle getting back his ability to speak.

"I know I haven't shared our secrets" he claimed.

"Me neither" Billy said.

"But this someone isn't any of us, right?" This wasn't a question, more of a presumption so accordingly no one answered.

"…so how is this person capable of breaking something he or she isn't aware of?"

"Have you ever heard of a certain butterfly on the opposite side of the planet?" Carlisle pointed out.

"I'm not dumb" I added, it seemed to have put out Carlisle's hostility. I continued: "I'm just stating the obvious here – isn't it possible to avoid this chaos just by avoiding this person – after all we ought to have more information than he does."

"It's a she, and no it wouldn't be possible to avoid _this_ person" Carlisle interrupted.

"So who is it?" Billy demanded.

Once again Carlisle grew quiet. I could almost see how he forced himself saying: "Isabella Marie Swan".

The swashing sound of the water once more made a louder company then we did. These meetings clearly had a negative impression on me and my existence. The first meeting was between me and Billy alone. It had less of a council-feeling to it and was more of an exchange between two drunken men who was at the utmost point to speak the truth to one another. Billy had explained to me what creatures had been inhabiting the reservations in Forks before our time and now. How I was in a crucial position to know about it and how it couldn't effect on our relationship or anybody else for that matter. I was inaugurated if you will. He told me that he only uttered this because others were coming, he insisted on calling them "cold ones", and that I was called to make peace between these two kinds – that they would listen and entrust and recognize me as moderator, that I was impartial, local and had roots with this place. I can't say I accepted my position gladly, but I needed it and truthfully – it wasn't much different from work. Although I hadn't dealt too much with vampires and werewolves on a day-to-day basis.

The next time, I was introduced to a walking man who was supposed to be dead, I guess that pretty much sums up my first meeting with Carlisle. Later on I helped in making the new truce between both kinds, even thought there was no real war waiting they both felt that certain rules had to be made or else either anarchy or devastation stood around the corner. They both honoured the agreement and this made me feel that I was still in control or at least had some saying in this whole new dimension of Forks law & order.

Sense then we'd pretty much met once every sixth week or so to discuss however rules were broken or needed to be adjusted and just keeping in touch with each other. Making sure no one was building up a grudge. I came to accept the new terms of order as well as Carlisle and Billy did. That being said I never left these meeting with a sense of accomplishment. Never. This was not just the 36th meeting, it was my 36th time of real actual distress.

"ISABELLA!" I heard myself spell, trying to locate my thoughts.

"Indeed" Carlisle said.

"I guess we can't avoid _her_ coming here" said Billy.

Again I was put safe in the background of a debate meant for greater men. I didn't listen in to well, I could make out that their were talking about how to "minimize the result of disarray" and what could be done to "quickly restore our agreement" while I was summing my opinion.

As they both shut their mouths I realized I was interrupting when I claimed: "Are you guys really gonna' talk about the greater good? 'Cause I don't think either of you qualify!" I wasn't sure if I had been accurate enough but they still stood quite. And so I told them my idea:

"Carlisle, didn't you say that as long as this person… as long as Bells didn't self choose not to come here nothing would happen?" I started me argue.

"You are quite right" he answered.

"So really all we have to do is to make her choose to avoid this place, we need to be welcoming and warm but somehow infest that this is not the place for her."

"How do you suggest…"

I interrupted Billy, it was all so clear now.

"The absent father, the cold weather. She always hated it here for all the reasons that made it different to Phoenix. Maybe you guys could send her off with something that might frighten her to stay?" I explained.

"You know what! You might be on to something Charlie" Billy said.


End file.
